In a landmark event this Sunday, Rotary International President Gordon McInally unveiled a cutting-edge Aquaponics Training Centre in Johannesburg, marking a key milestone in his visionary Tour of Hope.
This initiative sweeps across six African nations, bringing sustainable solutions to the forefront of community development and food security.
At the heart of Randburg, the newly inaugurated State-of-the-Art Aquaponics Centre at Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk in Ferndale is set to be a beacon of hope and innovation.
This project, a collaboration between Rotary International through District 9400, Southern Africa, and FreshMinistries; Desmond Tutu Program to End Global Hunger, is poised to empower communities not just in South Africa, but in Eswatini, Lesotho, and Madagascar with sustainable food sources and economic growth.
Leveraging the FreshMinistries Desmond Tutu Program to End Global Hunger’s 25 years of expertise in aquaponics from the Americas to Haiti and a pioneering installation in Hoedspruit, Mpumalanga, this initiative is more than a project; it's a lifeline. It has transformed lives, fought malnutrition, and fostered community economic development and literacy—core pillars of Rotary'“s mission.
"Food Security is not just a right but a foundation for a hopeful, thriving society,“ Rotary International McInally remarked, aligning the project’s launch with South Africa’s Human Rights Month to underscore its significance.
This Aquaponics Unit will serve as one of two training centres in Africa. The South
Africa unit will train people from Eswatini, Madagascar, Lesotho and South Africa.
The second will be in Kenya and train participants from Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and Tanzania.
With an ambitious plan to roll out 198 aquaponics units, each costing R3.5 million,
across eight African countries over the next three to five years, Rotary International
is on a mission to revolutionise food security, education, and economic independence across the continent.
"Aquaponics isn’t just farming; it's a revolution," says Reverand Dr Robert V Lee III, Chairman, CEO of FreshMinistries. It promises year-round produce, sustainable incomes, and, particularly, a step towards financial independence for women.
This initiative isn't just a launch; it promises Africa a sustainable, secure, and hopeful future.
A century-plus legacy of change-makers, Rotary International is a global network of 1.4 million visionaries driven to make a difference.
Through passion, energy, and intellect, Rotary members tackle global challenges, from literacy to peace, water security to health, aiming for a better world for all.
The Star